Day 2: The Journey Continues

As I write in at masjidil haram lying down due to my back is a bit whack if I sit down for too long. I try to remember what has happened in the past 24 hours. We started with our umrah briefing at midnight and make our way to the kaabah. Wife and aunt didn’t want to use their wheelchairs saying that they can try to walk. It was a good 950m walk. Our hotel the land premium it’s not a bad hotel but it’s just far away. When we arrived there I was greeted by the majestic sight of the kaabah. I have seen pictures of it but to actually see it up close and we were really very close due to it being 1am and there were like less people. We got to do all 7 round (did 8 just in case). Did our prayers and then it’s time to saie from Safa to Marwah. This is the time when wife and aunts legs started to give up. When we reach the saie spot it was full of poeple from all over the world. Some in unison when walking and others are doing their own thing. Wife said she can’t walk anymore and it was already 2am. She was worried it’s going to take forever if we decided to walk. So we we a couple of floors up and paid 115 for a scooter. Since I have to be the driver I can’t quite pray that much. But what doa I remember I just say while driving the scooter. 7 rounds took us a good 25 minutes. After that we caught up with my aunt and her daughter. Both of them were totally shot in the legs. So they can’t wait if subuh. So I took them all back to the hotel by finding a cab. The problem is that I didn’t know arabic and the cost of transporting 4 people to the land premium hotel is 30 riyal. When we arrived there we notice that this wasn’t our hotel. Turns out there was another hotel with the same name. This one does look a bit more premium. So we had find the actual hotel which is actually block by cars by a police blockade. I had to get out of the cab and ask the policeman to open the barricade so the taxi can come through. Paid him and extra 20 for being patient with us (I probably got ripped off but it’s okay). I was first in so I did my unpacking. Took a shower and went to bed. After that my housemates joined in the unpacking and sleeping. We slept till 930 and then I can’t sleep anymore. Still jet lagged I guess. Now it’s time to get ready to go to Friday prayers. I wore my jubah and then took my long scarf/prayer mat and make it into a makeshift hoodie (well a lot of people are doing the same thing) it was so hot. 40 degrees but I am not complaining. Just make sure I don’t get sunburned in the process. The amount of people going to the mosque was in the thousand. Men and woman. We (me, my uncle and his son) went until we hit the top floor and just praye in the corner. Walked home after that and then I rest for a while by having lunch. Rice with chicken curry and cauliflower curry. Tasted yum but I was probably hungry. Wife has a problem with her room. Her room is shared by 4 (our family + another girl) this girl has been missing since they got there. After some digging we found that the girl has covid and it’s quarantine for 3 days. And the management didn’t know about her. During maghrib went for prayers and stayed till isyak. It always takes 1.3km to go and back. So it really takes a toll on me. Came home and had some dinner. Beef with beans and rice and did laundry. Overall good but tiring